


this hug is better than grasping for where you used to be

by spiderboyneedsahug



Series: Baby Avenger [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Ashes Scene in Avengers: Infinity War Part 1, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Everyone Needs A Hug, Hugs, I need a hug, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Sensory Overload, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, dad! tony, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 14:35:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15075221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiderboyneedsahug/pseuds/spiderboyneedsahug
Summary: It doesn't turn out all bad, in the end. Or, Tony Stark and the remaining Avengers have moved heaven and earth to defeat Thanos. Peter is just happy that he's not stuck in a rock anymore.





	this hug is better than grasping for where you used to be

**Author's Note:**

> Another prompt from my Tumblr! I really enjoyed writing this one because I got to give the bois a hug that isn't horrifically painful to see.

He still doesn’t quite understand how they did it. The last thing he remembers was being on Titan, losing the Time Stone to Thanos, and then… pain. Endless, engulfing pain, starting deep in his bones and spreading throughout his body like acid. Things get fuzzy after that. He remembers falling forwards and clutching at Mr. Stark. He remembers hoping to whatever he could that Mr. Stark could survive and fix this. He remembers not being able to feel his legs or arms anymore, and the numbness replacing the pain. He fell again, he recalls. Mr. Stark looked so, so lost when he felt his heart begin to stutter and the majority of his body turned into dust.

 

Then, there was nothing.

 

And after the nothing, there was… something. A hazy orange void. The feeling of being stuck somewhere inescapable. The knowledge that you should have been breathing, but you weren’t. Time was funny there. Seconds passed in minutes. Days passed in hours. It was all very weird.

 

Then he opens his eyes with a gasp, and bolts upright. The orange is gone. The people who turned to dust before him are back, looking just as confused as him, and he has all of a few seconds to respond before his brain catches up to him.

“Mr. Stark!” He doesn’t see the man anywhere. He can see the other Avengers hugging each other, teary and radiating relief so powerfully he can nearly taste it. But... he can't see Tony. For a second, he fears that the worst has happened while he was… dead? But that moment passes when he sees Tony stood among the crowd of teary Avengers. Naturally, he launches himself forwards. He’s so, so relieved to not be stuck in the Soul Stone. He knows he’ll have to deal with the fact that _technically he died_ later on, but for now? Tony must have seen him running, because now he’s running towards Peter as well.

 

They meet halfway, and this time, Peter knows it’s a hug. Not a failed door opening, or a _you’re dying don’t go_ embrace, but a _hug_. Peter breaths out softly when his arms — actual arms, solid and unyielding — wrap around Mr. Stark’s back, and Mr. Stark’s wrap around his. It’s relieving in a new kind of way. He supposes everything is going to feel new from here on out. Peter listens out carefully for Tony’s heartbeat among the mess of auditory input. It’s difficult, though. There’s so much of it.

“Kid- you’re okay. You’re okay.  I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry you had to- _Kid_.” It’s heartbreaking to hear just how broken he sounds. Peter knew his death would screw Mr. Stark up, but… to this degree…?

“Hey, Mr. Stark! I’m fine, see? I’m back.” He’s starting to feel kind of shaky now. Who knew coming back from the dead was so exhausting? He’s so, _so_ tired. But he doesn’t want to collapse. That would just be a terrible experience for them both.

 

He feels a lot better after the hug. He’s still reeling from the knowledge that he _died,_ and so did half the known universe, but that challenge seems a lot easier to deal with over the growing problem now. He can taste a bitter thing in his mouth. It’s like dust. He blocks out the slew of memories that want to overwhelm him in favour of grounding himself. Orange light belonging to Titan, not the Soul Stone. Sounds of Avengers chattering and murmuring to each other. Vacant winds sweeping at nothing. No ashes. He can feel his fingers, his arms, the suit, Mr. Stark. It’s all real. It’s all real.

 

It’s all too much. His senses. It’s probably because he just came back _from the DEAD_ — he shudders slightly, and Mr. Stark’s grip loosens on him.

“Kid?” So, so much concern in his voice. So much more than there has ever been in the past. Everything has changed, now. Everything. He winces again at one of the Guardians’ loud laughter. He’s starting to feel just a little bit woozy. He really needs to eat something. And sleep. And maybe get some sound-muffling headphones before this blooms into a full sensory overload.

“I-I’m okay.” He whispers. He isn’t. His head hurts, and it’s starting to hit him that he was dead.

“Pete, look at me for a sec.” Peter obliges. Tony is keenly looking him over, probably for any injuries, and he is just _too tired_ to keep it all in anymore.

“My senses- they’re all dialled up again. My head hurts.” He doesn’t feel small when he admits this. Despite nearly being the same height as Mr. Stark, he lets his head be tucked underneath Tony’s chin. It feels a whole lot safer like this. He takes a shuddering breath inwards.

“Oh, kid. We- we gotta get you back to Earth. I’ll get you back to Earth and I’ll get your aunt up to the compound, and you guys can hug each other and sleep, and-” He’s never known Tony to ramble. It’s kind of distressing. He looks up slightly.

“Mister Stark. You’re joining the epic hug pile, you know that, right?” He feels all cold and shaky, but he smiles as he speaks. Mr. Stark did god knows what to bring him back from the stone. He deserves to be part of the hug pile.

“You’re an honorary Parker now. Swear on my spider’s honour.” They’ve all started walking towards the Guardians’ ship. Each footsteps sends vibrations ricocheting into his brain. He balks as he walks, even as all the input that tells him _they’re all alive again_ washes over him. It should be relieving. It’s not.

 

Everything is distant as he sits down heavy on the overcrowded starship. Mr. Stark is sat right next to him, running a hand through his hair still, but his head still hurts.

“We’ll be back soon, kid. You can rest when we get back to Earth, okay? We’ll have pancakes for breakfast, just…” _Don’t go again_. Tony doesn’t say the words. Peter hears them anyway.

“M’kay, Mr. Stark.” He knows he shouldn’t be falling asleep so soon after coming back. He should ask about what happened, if everyone is okay. But he can feel his heartbeat in his ears and the vibrations from the others just _speaking_ is overwhelming him, so he surrenders to the sleepiness that’s been rising up in his chest since Tony started ruffling his hair. There will be time for him to find out what it costed. That can wait. After all, he’s finally getting his hug.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to drop in a prompt or fic idea in the comments, or in my Tumblr's inbox under spiderboyneedsahug! I'm down to write more irondad and spiderson, always <3


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